“The Night of the Soul is deeply purificatory and as such, it is the gateway to the highest tier of spiritual union between God and souls possible outside of heaven.” (Saint John of the Cross).
Saint John of the Cross identified and explained the term “Dark Nights”. And I have been reflecting on the definition and explanation provided for that terminology by that great Saint over the last few days and weeks.
Saint John of the Cross explains that there are two Dark Nights. The first Dark Night relates to the Sense and the second Dark Night relates to the Soul. Saint John of the Cross admits that even very knowledgeable theologians confuse the two Dark Nights and for this reason he goes on to explain them for us to better understand the term…
When a soul loses the “sensible consolations” of God, when the soul feels only spiritual dryness and separation from God, that is when the soul most strongly experiences the Dark Night of the “Sense”. This experience is particularly strong in those souls who have experienced a strong prayer life during their early spiritual life. These are the people who could be transported by their prayers. And the Dark Night of the Sense relates to a purgative period where the soul fails to be satisfied or completed by the prayers prayed even though they are extremely solicitous for God and are very conscious of resisting mortal sins.
And I have been considering why God allows such a Dark Night ot be experienced by a Soul. After all, I have experienced such darkness myself – particularly following the death of my youngest little boy before he was even born.
And Saint John of the Cross provides some insight here when he says, that “The goal is to eliminate their over reliance upon these effects and move them to deeper levels of faith which are not based on swoons and tears. For some it is the transition into genuine contemplation.”
And I have been reflecting on that too – because that is exactly what I myself gained from such an experience as that… For following my conversion, which occurred through Grace and no merit of my own, I became even closer to my Beloved, as my mind constantly sought Him out – feeling ever separated from Him…
However, when a soul is far more advanced along the Spiritual road, it can experience not a mere Dark Night of the “Sense” but a deeper and more profound Dark Night of the “Soul”. The Dark Night of the Soul is further and deeper than the Dark Night of the Sense, because in the former, the soul experiences feelings of total rejection from God and feels that it is the subject of God’s wrath and anger. Even despite very high levels of faith and faithfulness, the soul continues to experience a feeling of God’s anger with them. And the soul continues to experience this feeling, even despite holy works and preparation for the sacraments. Here, the temptation is to give in to deep despair and yet, the Soul cannot abandon their faith or even knowingly commit a venial sin.
Saint John of the Cross explains that “The Night of the Soul is deeply purificatory and as such, it is the gateway to the highest tier of spiritual union between God and souls possible outside of heaven.”
And I have been thinking about that today, because I have come to realise that despite all my complaining, my Nights are simply not Dark enough…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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